THE RED DRAGON

— A donkey's head!
— Yes, replied the sorcerer, who had just found an excellent opportunity here to procure himself a donkey, at a low price, as will be seen shortly.
— What does one do with this donkey's head?
— One offers it as a sacrifice to the spirits by grilling it over charcoal; this sacrifice convinces the demons to answer the questions one addresses to them.
— Bah! said Claude, completely dazed, a donkey's head.
— It is as I tell you.
— Then...
— Then, before Saint John's Day A traditional midsummer festival often associated with occult practices in folklore., you must go into town and buy an two-year-old donkey at the market, which you will bring to me here, leading it with your left hand. Do you hear me well?
— With the left hand, good! But what will you do with the animal? Will you cut off its head?
— Not at all, I will keep it for a future occasion and I will give you in exchange the head of another donkey baudet donkey/ass that I will have prepared accordingly. The one you bring me will be the price of the magic head.

Claude pulled a face.
— Does that not suit you? said the sorcerer with an angry air. Then, nothing is done, my boy.
— Yes, Master Simounen, I accept: continue.
— When you have the donkey's head in your possession, you will take it home with you, without showing it to anyone. Then you will go to gather, by the light of the moon, a branch of verbena with which you will decorate your talisman.
— The head?
— Undoubtedly. Then you will go to the Black Hole, and, after having traced the magic triangle as I am going to show you, you will pronounce the formula indicated by the Red Dragon, which you are going to learn.